There are a variety of skin conditions—whether cosmetic or as a result of disease—that cause individuals substantial discomfort or embarrassment, making effective treatment desirable. Among these conditions are acne, rosacea, aging, skin discoloration and photodamage, psoriasis, dandruff and eczema, and dermatitis.
Acne vulgaris is an inflammatory dermatological disorder that occurs frequently in adolescence and with some regularity in older adults. The condition can include skin lesions ranging from the comedo in a pilosepaceous follicle, to more severe symptoms such as pustules, papules, cysts and nodules. The condition can be uncomfortable and embarrassing, and can result in scarring and facial disfigurement. The pathology is believed to involve a number of factors. The first is formation of comedones (more commonly referred to as whiteheads) and blackheads, made up of solid horny masses that plug follicles and are associated with increased production of sebum. As keratinized cells continue to accumulate, pressure builds up within the follicles and eventually rupture. Horny material, sebum and bacteria are dumped into the skin, provoking inflammatory responses which take the form of pustules or cystic nodules.
There are many different forms of treatment for acne vulgaris. Simple washing and cleansing is one known method. It is known in the art to use topical anti-acne agents, such as salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide can be used to treat acne. Further, retinoids and retinols may be used, but have the undesirable side effects of mild to sever irritation, redness, peeling and itching and burning. (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,805 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,028, for example).
Another skin condition requiring treatment is rosacea. Rosacea is a common chronic skin condition characterized by a spectrum of clinical indications including flushing episodes, erythema, telangiectasia, inflammatory papulopustular eruptions resembling acne, and ocular symptoms. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,723,755, Chomczynski, et al. The etiology of rosacea is unknown, but it is presumed to be a genetically determined anomalous vascular response that develops in the third to sixth decades of life. The hypothesis that the basic pathogenesis of the disease is a flushing disorder is based on several findings. The disease appears to more prevalent in northern climates where cold exposure is experienced more often, and in light-skinned persons in whom flushing is common and sensitivity to sunlight is particularly high. Accordingly, rosacea may represent a type of hypersensitivity reaction disease in which vascular sensitivity is a central mechanism in its etiology. The correlation between sensitive blood vessels and sensitive skin has, however, not yet been determined. Epidemiological studies suggest that the regulatory mechanism of blood vessels may be of importance in the onset and development of rosacea. Studies show that 27% of rosacea patients were found to suffer from migraine and 42% from a tendency to flush, both of which represent about twice the level that would typically be found in a control group.
Psoriasis is a chronic, widespread skin disorder afflicting millions of humans and even domesticated animals. The disorder is characterized by recurrent, elevated red lesions, plaques or rarely pustules on the skin. These plaques are the results of an excessively rapid growth and shedding of epidermal (skin) cells. The cause of psoriasis is unknown.
Eczema (including but not limited to atopic, nummular and hand types) often has similar overlapping features with psoriasis. See, e.g., H. Roenigk, Jr. et al., “Psoriasis”, ©1991, Marcel Dekker, Inc., Chapter 2. For instance, it is often difficult to distinguish based on clinical appearance. They can coexist, or the disease can begin as eczema and over time turn to psoriasis. Again, treatments are similar with corticosteroids and preparations commonly employed for both of these conditions.
Another skin condition commonly confined to the scalp is seborrheic dermatitis (seborrhea). The least severe form, but most common, is simple dandruff. It can become more severe and form scaly, red patches on the face, ears, chest, and other widespread areas. It often coexists with psoriasis, and many subjects have overlapping features termed “seborrhiasis.” Therefore, a continuum may exist whereby these are on the same disease spectrum. Treatments are similar to those currently used for psoriasis, although lower dosages are usually sufficient to control seborrheic dermatitis.
Inflammatory skin diseases refer to diseases that are accompanied by a series of clinical signs and symptoms, such as itch, edema, erythema and abrasion are induced by various stimulative factors that cause a series of inflammatory reactions in the skin epithelium.
Seborrheic dermatitis is a dermatitis that frequently occurs on areas with a high sebum secretion, such as the scalp, the forehead and the armpit, and is also called seborrheic eczema. It causes much erythema and fine scale (dandruff) and often appears in persons in the 20-40 age group. Unlike common eczema, it is a disease resulting from abnormal constitution or sebum secretion, and is characterized in that it causes the skin to be sensitive to sunlight or heat, grows worse mainly in spring and autumn and tends to recur.
In addition to the above-described conditions, aging of the skin is a complex phenomenon that can result in skin changes that may take a variety of different forms. Skin aging can result from cigarette smoke, chemicals, ultraviolet radiation. In particular, UV radiation has led to increased prevalence of photoaging. Photoaging can be prevented by sun avoidance and proper skin protection. Skin conditions that may occur as skin ages include dry skin, zerosis, ichthyosis, brownish spots, keratoses, melasma, lentigines, age spots, liver spots, pigmented spots, wrinkles, skin lines, fine lines, oily akin, warts, eczema, pruritic skin, psoriasis, inflammatory dermatoses, or disturbed keratinization.
While there are many compounds described in the art useful for improving the appearance and condition of skin, there is still a need for compositions with improved efficacy without undesirable side effects. The present invention relates to cosmetic methods of improving skin appearance and/or condition by topical application of the subject compositions. The present invention also relates to a composition that may be used in hair color and bleaching products, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, bath oils and salts, bar soaps, facial cleansers, and foot treatments.
Toothpastes
The present invention relates to oral care compositions, including therapeutic rinses, especially mouthrinses and methods of use to provide significantly enhanced antimicrobial activity, thereby reducing oral bacteria and promoting overall oral health. Microbial populations such as Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus mutans, and Streptococcus sobrinus are pioneer species, the first microbial to absorb, multiply and form micro-colonies; and reduction of these species are correlated to disruption of plaque biofilm. (P. Marsh & M. Martin, Oral Microbiology, 3rd Edition, London, Chapman & Hall Publishers, 1996). The compositions described herein can be used to treat conditions in the oral cavity.
The present invention provides topical oral care compositions, including therapeutic rinses, especially mouth rinses, toothpastes, tooth gels, tooth powders, subgingival gels, chewing gums, mouth sprays, and lozenges (including breath mints), comprising an effective amount of the present composition for treating or preventing conditions of the oral cavity. In particular, the present invention addresses the need to remove bacteria and biofilm accumulation in the oral cavity.
Contact Lens Cleaners
The present invention also relates to compositions that can be used for the effective cleaning and disinfection of contact lenses. Deposits such as protein derived from tears or lipid derived from discharge can adhere to the surfaces of contact lenses when the lenses are worn. These deposits must be removed from the lenses prior to subsequent use. The present invention addresses the need for novel contact lens cleaners.